


Like Stars On Your Skin

by Oblivion_Wanderer



Series: Head Over Heels [2]
Category: Pacific Rim (Movies)
Genre: Bioluminescence, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-02-20
Updated: 2015-02-20
Packaged: 2018-03-09 01:46:30
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,587
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3231602
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Oblivion_Wanderer/pseuds/Oblivion_Wanderer
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Hermann finds another change brought on by the mutations Newt's undergone, but this one isn't so bad.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Like Stars On Your Skin

**Author's Note:**

> A little bit of a filler while the next part is still in development, but.... who doesn't love bio-luminescence

It had been a week since Hermann had agreed to take in Newt, a week since this wild-haired man stumbled into his car. A strange encounter had, in summary, gained Hermann a roommate. In that time, as Newt recovered, he learned more about his new roommate... and also learned Newt could be a downright, irritating, man-child.

Granted, Hermann was letting Newt stay with him because he needed somewhere safe to stay for the time being (due to circumstances that were beyond Hermann's control), but Newt could easily get on his nerves. However, despite how their conversations could easily shift into arguments, he had to admit that the other was good company.

One night, Hermann couldn't sleep and he wandered out into the other room to get a drink. He saw Newt passed out on the couch as he walked by; snoring slightly and one arm hanging off the edge of the couch. At least he was getting some sleep, as he seemed more hyperactive during the day.

Poor Newt- Taken from everything he knew only to be tortured. At least he was out of harms way, but it was unclear if the scientists who took him were searching for their runaway subject.

Pouring some water for himself, Hermann hobbled back to his room, but as he passed by Newt again he heard a quiet mumbling.

“Herms...?” He heard Newt ask sleepily.

Hermann turned back to him. The biologist was dressed in some new sleepwear he had picked out. After the first few days, he agreed to go out in town- disguised in layered clothes to hide his mutations and identity- with Hermann to buy clothes and other things, borrowing some money from him. “Yes, it's me.”

“You alright, man?”

“I'm fine, I just needed a drink. Now go back to sleep, it's the middle of the night.”

“Geez, you don't need to be so prickly.” He looked as if he was going to say something else, but his face scrunched up in irritation and he started coughing, putting a hand to his chest and the other grabbing a tissue and holding it to his mouth.

The professor sighed and made his way over to Newt, setting his glass on a side table. He sat next to the other and put a hand on his back, rubbing in slow circles. “You're okay.” He whispered, repeating it to Newt to help him stay calm. It wasn't his fault. It was a side effect from one of the mutations in Newt's body reversing, due to missing a dosage when he escaped. At least the cough was getting better.

When Newt dislodged the congestion from his throat he took a couple deep breaths before tossing the tissue into the wastebasket. “It's getting better.”

“That's good.”

Hermann made to get up but froze when he looked back at Newt, staring at him with mouth agape.

The biologist must have noticed, because he looked up at Hermann. “What? I can tell you're staring.”

“N-Newton, you're.... you're glowing.”

“Are you serious?” Newt reached blindly for his glasses, eventually finding them and putting them on. He looked down at his arms and gasped. “Oh! I forgot about that!”

Hermann wasn't sure how he'd missed it before, but now he found himself shocked and entranced by the sudden appearance of glowing patches all over Newt's skin.

“What... What is that?” Hermann asked.

“This is bio-luminescence; one of the first side effects cataloged in my body.” The biologist explained. “Spread out like freckles and it's mostly visible during the night or in a dark place. So the glowing became a thing. Bio-luminescence also appeared on the spine plates on my back and in my throat- Well, the latter part came from that 'acid pouch' thing they tried. Anyway, the scientist's thought the glowing was because of the K. Blue to fussing into my bloodstream.”

“That's quite a side effect.”

“Yeah. I actually like it though.”

Hermann could only nod. This... glowing that was prominent across Newt's skin wasn't just making him shine like a nightlight, the glowing spots were almost like the night sky, like the stardust of space itself. Hermann had never seen anything like it.

“Hermann, you're still staring.”

“Ah!” He averted his eyes. “No, I- Sorry.”

“It's alright, dude. It's pretty rad once you get used to it.”

“Hm... Um, well then.” Hermann got up, using his cane to support him. “I'll be getting back to bed, I suggest you do the same.”

He retrieved his drink off the end table and went back to his room, but unable to get the image of Newt's softly glowing skin off of his mind.

He wasn't sure how much time passed as he tried to go to sleep. By a best guess of 45 minutes later, he thought he was finally about to drift away when he heard his door creek open.

Hermann raised his head, groggy from the sleep that had started to creep over him. For a moment, his eyes didn't register to the slight glow in his doorway, but then he remembered that this glow was coming from Newt.

“Newton, what is it?” Hermann grumbled.

“Oh, did I wake you up?” Newt asked quietly. “I'll just- yeah- nevermind, I'll let you go back to bed.”

“Out with it already.”

“Right. Um, I went back to sleep, but I couldn't stay that way for long- I had a bad dream- and suddenly the couch didn't seem very comfortable anymore, so...”

Hermann sat up a little. “Do you need to talk about it?”

“No, um... can I just sit next to you for a bit? Having someone near calms me down when I have a bad dream.”

He sighed. “I guess.”

Newt made his way over to the other side of the bed and climbed up next to Hermann. He sat with his back to the headboard and looked ahead, almost like he was fixated to something on the wall. Hermann frowned in worry.

“Are you sure you're alright?”

“Yeah. Still trying to adjust, I guess.”

“I don't blame you, after all you've been through...”

Newt only shrugged and continued to stare straight ahead. Hermann briefly wondered what he had dreamed about.

The professor, quiet out of respect for Newt and not having anything to say for the time being, distracted himself by directing his eyes towards the glow that Newt was still emitting. It was a bit dimmer now, but strangely calming. Perhaps they were somehow tied to his emotions. All those glowing patches and freckles across his body... they made the tattoos that decorated his skin seem to breathe and move, as if alive. Hermann thought it was rather alluring.

In a lapse of self control, he reached out and brushed his fingertips against the glowing skin. It caused Newt to flinch and snap his head toward Hermann.

“I-I'm sorry.” Hermann stammered, feeling ashamed. “I shouldn't have- I don't know what came over me.”

“No, uh- No worries. I'm just a little jumpy.” He gave an attempt at a smile. “You were admiring my glow again, weren't you?”

“I, well, wouldn't go so far as to say 'admire'. I was... It's an interesting quality you have.”

His smile grew a bit wider. “You totally like it.”

Hermann grumbled and bit his lower lip. “I suppose I do... just a little.”

Newt tilted his head at the other. “What do you like?”

Hermann looked back. “The... the way it makes it look like there's stars.”

“Do you like space?”

“Yes.”

“Pfft.” Newt chuckled. “Space groupie~”

Hermann tried to shoot back some remark, but he couldn't find the right words for one, resulting in opening his mouth to say something, only to close it again. Newt lay down a bit more, making himself comfortable.

“Um, I know this is weird, but could you kinda run your hand through my hair?” He asked.”You don't have to- it somehow helps calm me down if someone does that.”

Hermann hesitated, but set a hand into the other man's hair, slowly carding through as if he was petting a cat. Newt sighed with content and closed his eyes.

“How are you feeling?”

“Better, dude. You're magic.”

Continuing this motion, Hermann's eyes wandered over the biolumnience and the tattoos. The pale blue glow was more concentrated in random spots across his face and shoulders, spreading down his arms and lightly making his throat glow. The tattoos that peeked from under the tank top he wore seemed to logically continue down his torso much like how they had enveloped his arms (however only part of the left arm).

The thought occurred to him then; Newt was a living work of art, mutations and all.

Snoring reached Hermann's ears and brought him out of his daze. He removed his hand and realized Newt had fallen back asleep. The option of getting him back to his own bed (aka the couch) in the other room wasn't happening tonight, not with his bad leg, and he didn't have the heart to wake Newt after he had seemed to put himself at ease.

Hermann pulled out the sheets from under the biologist- how had that not woken him?- and placed them back over before he collapsed back on the pillow. He was going to have to let Newt stay in his room until morning. At least he had said he was feeling better.

 _'So long as you do not cough up blue gunk on me'_. Hermann thought, settling in to go back to sleep.


End file.
